Container lifter



Feb. 20, 1945. A. s. KRUEGER CONTAINER LIFTER Filed Aug. 10, 1944 fizveiz-Zbr 412/ 2: 5. Krue r"- Hllllllllun Patented Feb. 20,1 45

v CONTAINER LIFTER Archie S. Krueger; Green Bay, wis assignor to Marathon Corporation, Rothschild, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin 1 Application August, 10, 1944, Serial No. 548,876

1 Claim. (Cl. 294-28) 8, and an extendingintegral finger grip bar l2,

This invention relates to container lifters and more particularly to a lifter for large paper containers used to package bulk ice cream.

The invention has as an object a lifter of the type referred to embodying a particularly simple and economical construction .by which the-lifter may be used to conveniently lift and carry containers.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing in which'like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views. I

Figure 1 is aside, elevational view of a lifter embodying my invention,

Figure 2 represents a side elevation of. the lifting device held in operative gripping relation to a container,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 3'3 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lifting device,

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on lines 5- of Figure 4, and

Figurefi is a view similar to Figure 5while the lifting device is in gripping relation to a container.

Referrin to the drawing, one form of the present invention consists of two oppositely disposed J'aw members l and l I, the jaw member ID bein i designated as a fixed jaw member and the jaw member ll being designated as a pivoted jaw member; The jaw members are so mounted and arranged as to straddle the upper part of a can or other article to be lifted, as shown in Figure 1.

. Preferably each of these jaws is formed from a flat strip of metal. The gripping end of the jaw member ID is reversely bent to about a forty-five degree angle to provide a ledge P5 to seat under the neck bead of the can 5 for lifting purposes. The contact edge of this ledge is'preferably o1 saw-tooth shape to form a plurality of teeth l6 so disposed as to bite into the juxtaposed face of the can, this being a particularly advantageous construction Where the can is made of paper. The gripping end of the jaw member H islikewise formed with a ledge 15 and teeth l6 for the same purpose. Fixed jaw member H is provided with an integral relatively long horizontally extendingfiat handle bar 25. Pivoted jaw member 10 is provided with an integral fiat upper exten-' slon member 9 which normally aligns with handle bar 25, an integral downwardly extending portion terminating in an upwardly bent stop member M. A U-shaped bracket member 21 is spot welded at 30 to the portion 8, a shown in Figures 5 and 6. A pivot pin 40 extends through bracket 21 in freely rotatable relation thereto.

A U-shaped bracket member 2-6 is spot welded at 3| to the end of the fiat handle bar member 25. The bracket is arranged to embrace bracket member 21 and is provided with openings 4 to fixedly receive pivot pin 40. A leaf spring 45 bent into U-shape is positioned within bracket member 21. One end of the-leaf 50 contacts the finger grip bar I2 and normally urges the finger grip bar l2 to assume the position shown in Figures 1 and 5. The other end 5| of the leaf spring is positioned against the handle bar 25.

In operation the lifting device is held in the palm of the hand with the fingers grasping the finger grip lbar l2 as shown in Figure 1. The lifting device is then positioned over a container 5 so that the teeth l6 of the fixed jaw member ll engage a bead of the container 5. The finger grip bar I2 is then moved upwardly by the operator to assume the dotted line position shown in Figure 1. The pivoted jaw I 0 will at the same time move toward the fixed jaw member II inwardly to the dotted position shown in Figure 1 and also as shown in Figures 2 and 6. In this position the teeth It of jaw member l0 wil1 firmly grip the container which can then be lifted and carried in the manner illustrated in Figure 2.

The weight of the container and the fingers of the operator serve to retain the finger grip bar l2 in its uppermost position, the end 20 of stop member abutting against handle bar 25. .The container can be conveniently lifted and carried by one hand as the finger grip bar l2 and hand bar 25- are aligned and in parallel relation when stop member l4 abuts the handle bar 25. Upon.

struction is suchthat the lifter is readily operated by one hand. While only a single form is shown in which this invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that. the invention is not limited to any specific construction, but might be applied to various forms without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope. of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is I handle bar and one end or said finger grip bar for normally urging said finger grip bar into inoperative position, a stop member extending Y upwardly from one end of said finger grip bar to abut the said handle bar, said hinged jaw member being movable toward said jaw member upon moving said finger grip bar toward said handle bar.

ARCHIE S. KRUEGER. 

